1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to specialized pliers for removing spring-secured electrical connectors from a housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Battery-operated industrial fork lift trucks are extensively used for the handling of heavy loads in factory, warehouse and other commercial applications. The battery-operated lift trucks are preferred over fuel-driven trucks because they are quieter in operation and do not emit combustion gases which would adversely affect an indoor environment.
The batteries of such electrically driven lift trucks require frequent recharging. To facilitate the connection of the batteries to a suitable electrical DC power source, receiving connector terminals are provided on the truck and are adapted to interact with feed connector terminals associated with the power source. The receiving connector terminals are generally secured by a protective housing which maintains the terminals in parallel, spaced apart relationship. In particularly popular embodiments, the receiving terminals have an elongated flattened configuration provided with an engagement hump, and are spring-urged toward a latching position. The feed terminals from the power source are similarly secured within a protective housing and spaced apart to match the spacing of the receiving terminals. The feed terminals have a flattened configuration with an engaging hump comparable to the receiving terminals and are also spring-urged toward a latching position. One set of terminals, whether the feed or receiving terminals is caused to protrude from a male-designated housing and adapted to enter a female-configured housing wherein the opposing interactive terminals are recessed within the housing.
In view of the aforesaid construction, the mating of the feed terminals with the receiving terminals is quickly and easily accomplished merely by pushing one housing toward the other axially with respect to the direction of elongation of the terminals. Such action brings the opposed terminals into secure engagement with properly maintained polarity. By virtue of the interlocking effect achieved by the interactive engagement humps and the springs which force the terminals together as a latched state, the terminals resist inadvertent separation.
In the course of prolonged use, the receiving and feed connector terminals must be removed from their housings for servicing. It has been found, however, that such removal is extremely difficult because of the aforesaid springs which secure the terminals in place. Removal of terminals from female-configured housings is particularly difficult because, not only must said spring be depressed to facilitate removal, but it is difficult to reach into the housing in order to access the spring.
Various types of specialized hand tools have earlier been disclosed for coping with difficult manipulative tasks. For example, plier-type tools designed for handling spring components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,697,483; 5,212,859; 5,209,143 and 5,590,573. However, the tools of each of said Patents involve motions which apply force against two extremities of a spring in order to achieve movement or configurational change of the spring. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,353,273 and 5,209,143 disclose pliers of substantially conventional design having opposing jaws which are modified to accomplish very specific tasks. None of the aforesaid Patents disclose pliers specifically designed to force an otherwise inaccessible spring against a fixed feature of a multicomponent structure in order to permit sliding release of a component otherwise secured by said spring.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a hand tool for facilitating the release of a spring-held electrical terminal from a connector housing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a hand tool of the foregoing object in the form of pliers of substantially conventional design but with a specially modified jaw configuration.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand tool of the aforesaid nature wherein said modified jaw configuration permits depression of a holding spring against a fixed feature of said housing.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide pliers of the aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.
The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by pliers of the type comprised of first and second elongated members connected at a pivot axis to define interactive first and second jaws and opposed handle portions arranged such that said jaws are brought together when said handle portions are brought to their position of closest approach within an action plane orthogonal to said pivot axis. Said first jaw, having a substantially flat gripping surface, extends to a forward end located a distance from said pivot axis which is generally considered typical of pliers. Said second jaw extends to a front end located closer to said pivot axis than the forward end of said first jaw, and having a rigid thin blade extending forwardly of said front end and positioned substantially on said action plane. Said blade extends to a leading edge located forwardly of the forward end of said first jaw, and is further provided with a gripping edge adapted to contact the gripping surface of said first jaw, and a recess located adjacent the front end of said second jaw and directed away from said gripping edge.